Way-signal device for automobiles and other motor-propelled vehicles



C. M. HILDEBRANDT. WAY SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER MOTOR PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20, 1921.

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Patented Oct, 31, 1922 V IN VENTOR.

" A TTORNEY.

Patented on. 31, 1922.

re est CHARLES M. HILDEBRANDT, OF BELLE-TUE, KENTUCKY.

WAY-SIGNAL DEVICE FOR AUTOlVIOBILES AND OTHER MT0R PR0PELLED VEHICLES.

Application filed January 20, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES M. HILDE- BRANDT, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Bellevue, in the county of Campbell and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful'Im' provement in \Vayfiignal Devices for Automobiles and other hiiot-or-Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to way-signals used at the fore end of automobiles and the like for indicating the direction the operator thereof intends to take in advancing along the highway, and, more particularly, to that class of laterally-extensible signals that are adapted to be operated from the operators and that are made in imitation of a human hand, the present popular way in vogue although not always the most convenient, safe, or comfortable way.

The object of the invention herein is mostly to provide a foot-lever and auton'iatic-return device for operating the signal, whereby the drivers hands may remain. otherwise free for other ordinary out necessary purposes in running his machine. The device is intended and equipped for both day and night use.

The details of structure will be fully described in connection with the accon'ipanying sheet of drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a broken-off or fragmentary transverse section of one of the fore-corners of the vehicle bottom, showing the im proved foot-adjusted way-signal device in elevation and in laterally-extended operafive-position; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-section of the signal device taken by itself, but on a somewhat larger scale than that of Fig. 1 and again in operative-position; Fig. 3, a plan of -Fig. 2; and Fig. r, a fragmentary vertical section of the signal casing and tinger, thelatter in receded perpendicular position, out of indicating-operation.

5 indicates the floor and 6 one of the upright sides of the automobile or vehicle bottom, at the fore end thereof, Fig. 1 showing the right-hand corner and withiny improved signal device detachably-mounted by means of the T-slide oint 7.

The signal-proper includes the following main elements in its general. make-up: a vertical rectangular casing 8, that is open top and bottom, except that it has a removable top-lid 8*, a slotted bottom 8 and a removable front lid or plate 8, as best shown Serial No. 438,783.

a hollow, rectangular, extensible hand-member 9 pivoted to the easin Figs. 1 and 2' ing 8 at 10; a hollow index-finger extension to lamp and wire 19 leading to a local bat tery 20 that may be located anywhere convenient in the vehicle, the nearer the signal the better for inspection and renewal. The wires are intended to pass into the casing or box 8 and hand-member 9 instead of running. exposed along the outside thereof as it is conveniently shown in said Fig. 2.

The said several entensiblediand, indexfinger and thumb members are connected so as to act in unison by means of the following-named link, lever, spring and draw rod or rope devices: an obtuse-angled rock-lever 21. is pivotally mounted at 22 in the casing or box 8 and has a cord, rope or wire connection with the crank or lever 24, the latter being pivotally-inounted at 25 beneath the floor-plate 26 of the automobile and provided with a foot-pedal 27. The foot-pedal 27 is arranged adjacent the usual foot'pedals in the bottom of the vehicle, at the fore end thereof,and it has a shoulder 28 to lock it in depressed position when the way-signal is set for an indication or display for those at the front and rear to see the direction the vehicle is to take or pursue in its onward course. Those to the side of the vehicle may also see the signal.

The pedal 2'? is easily released from locking contact with the edge of the slot in plate 26 when it is desired to restore the waysignal to the normal position seen in Fig. 4.

Action to the hand, index-finger and thumb members is produced through the employment and provision of the link 30 that is pivotally-connected at its opposite ends to the lower half of the said rock-lever 21 in the casing or be 8 and the tail end of the hand-member 9; thence through the horizon tal rod or draft-lever 31 that is pivotallyconnected at its upturned heel 32 to the lower end of said rock-lever 21 and at its fore end 33 to the rear end of the thumb-member 12, the rod or lever 31 serving, also, to force or slide the index-finger member 11 outwardly simultaneous with the forward and downward rocking of the thumb-member 12 into indicating signal-display position.

The compression-spring 34; accelerates the dmwnward morement of the thumb-member 12 into display-position and to maintain it so until the retractile-spring 35 in the casing or box 8 automatically returns the handmember and the rock, pivotal and draft levers into their-normal positions. The said retractile-spring 35 is; stretched between the said inner heel-end 32 of the dra't't-leverfil and the upper right-hand corner of the easing 8 Where it is secured for use.

lit is quite obvious that the draft-rope 23 could be a short one it desiredand preferred, and lead only to the opposite sidecorners or the vehicle at its fore end, convenient to the operator thereof and a suitable loop or handle provided at its inner end for hand manipulation.

A Way-signal for automobiles and other vehicles comprisinga hollow box or casing adapted to be attached to the vehicle in suit able display-position, a hollow hand-m1nber having a slotted bottom and pivotally mounted in said casing and adapted to be laterally-extended therefrom into indicating or display position, a, finger-member having a slotted bottom coinciding With that of the handanember and slidably or telescopically mounted in said hand-member and adapted to be extended therefrom into lateral dis- 1 lay-position, a thumb-member pivotally and slidably mounted in the slotted bottoms of the alined telescopic hand and finger members and adapted to be tilted into downwardly-extending display-position, link-andlever mechanism for pivotally and slidably connecting the said hand, finger and thumb members in operating-unison, a pull rod or rope for actuating said link-and-lever mechanism from within the vehicle at the floor orthe side thereof, to throw the said indicator-members into display-position, and a retractile device for automatically-returning said indicator-me1nbers into normal position Within and below the casing out of displaypositiom substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES M. HILDEBRANDT. 

